Abrading machine



Och 23, 1934. G. M. STEVENSON 1,978,149

- ABRADING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 28. 1950 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 N N Vi1} 8; I!

v I nvl c" I a Enventor Q03 8 MAI/5200220 attorney Oct. 23, 1534.

ABRADING MACHINE G. STEVENSON Original Filed Jan. 28. 1930 5Sheets-Sheet 2 3nnentor attorney Ociz. 23, 1934. G. M. STEVENSONABRADING MACHINE Original Fiiea Jan'. 28, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 inventor(Ittomeg Oct. 23, 1934.

G. M. STEVENSON ABRADING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Jan.28, 1930 attorney Oct. 23,1934. G. M.STEVE NSON 5 1,978,149

' ABRADING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 28 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 29 menor.

- G'eage jfdtvvezmon 8g" I I Patented Oct. .23, 1934 TEs UNITED s12.

ABRADING MACHINE George M. Stevenson, Baltimore, Md.

Application January 28, 1930, Serial No. 424,047 Renewed April 18, 19348 Claims.

This invention relates to abrading machines of the type in which theabrading means consists of g a suitably driven endless belt. or bandsurfaced with abrading material, into'contact with which.

the articles to be treated are adapted to be moved,

and the object of the invention, generally speaking, is to provide, in amachine of this type, a. novel combination and arrangement of partsintended to enable rapid and accurate abrasion, particularly ofirregular surfaces, in a thoroughly efficient and satisfactory manner.

While the present machine is capable of use for abrading variousarticles; it is primarily adapted for finishing the irregular surfacesof 1d mouldingsand similar. strip-like articles, and

in this connection it is a more particular purpose of 'the invention toprovide novel means for guiding such articles in their feed movementsrelative to the abrading belt, and for holding the articles againstbuckling, chattering and other .undesirable movements during abrasionthereof.

The machine includes a die for imparting to the effective abradingportion of the belt the desired transverse shape adapted to be impartedto the articles, and in this connection it is an important purpose ofthe invention to provide novel supporting means for the die to enablesame to partake of suflicientyielding movement in all directions tocompensate for any ordinary irregularities which may exist in theinitially unfinished article being treated.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide cushioning meansbetween the die and the 35. belt whereby the engagement of the beltwiththearticle is rendered soft and yielding to compensate for differentdegrees of hardness and irregularities in the material of the article,thus to assure uniform abrasion of the articlethroughout its length. 1

' ,With the foregoing general purposesin view, the invention consists inthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partsas will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims. Figure 1 isa'perspective view of an abrading machine constructed in accordance withthe in- I vention.

Figure 2 is a-detail view illustrating one of the devices for holdingthe articles against buckling during abrasionthereof.

' Figure .3 is an enlarged side elevation of the -die and die supportingmechanism, showingalso the cushioning means between the abrasion belt. t

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail section on line the 55 of Figure 3. i

Figure 6 is a detail section on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail section on theline 7-7 of Figure 3. k

Figure 8 is a transverse section through the machine showing the die andits supporting means in end elevation.

Figure 9 is a central, longitudinal section die and the through the dieand its supporting bracket; and

Figure 10 is a central, longitudinal section through the fixed portionof the die supporting mechanism. r

- Referring to thedrawings in detail, A designates, generally the frameof the machine, which includes a horizontal bed portion 10 and,preferably, an integral, vertically extending mechanism carrying portion11 rising above'the bed 10.

Suitably mounted above the bed 10, in front of the portion 11, is a pairof belt wheels 12, 12, one of which is adapted to be driven in anysuitable manner to impart movement to an endless belt or band 13 trainedover said wheels, the arrangement being such that the lower reach of thein any suitable manner with an abrasive and, as

indicated in Figs. 1 and 8 of the drawings, the article to be treated, am'oulding B for example, is adapted to be placed on the bed 10 and movedtherealong with its upper face in contact with the under side of thelower reach-of the belt 13, whereby desired finishing of the moulding iseffected by the abrasive action of the moving belt .13. Novelmeans isprovided whereby strip-like articles B of different sizes may bepositionedand guided on the bed 10 in proper-relation to the belt 13.This means consists essentially of a bar 14 extending longitudinally ofthe machine on top of the bed 10 and against which a side of the article8 is adapted to bear and to be guided in its movement beneath'said belt.Transverse slots 15 are formed in the bed 10 and in these slots bars 16are mounted for sliding adjustment, these bars being secured at theirinner ends to the guide bar 14 and at their outer ends preferably beingconnected together by .a brace rodi'l serving to maintain theirspacement and to provide a convenient means for eflecting theirtransverse collective adjustment, thus to adjust the bar 14 transverselyof the machine for the purpose of positioning strips B of differentwidths properly with respect to the abrasion belt.

Any suitable means may be provided to secure the bar '14 in a desiredadjusted position, but for simplicity and convenience the fasteningscrews 18 (Fig. 8) which secure the bars 16 to the bar 14, are utilizedin the present instance to accomplish this purpose.

At suitable locations along the machine 10 feed rollers 19 and 20 areprovided between which the mouldings or other-articles B are adapted topass and by which said. mouldings or articles are adapted to be fedbeneath the abrasion belt, these, rollers being driven in any desiredmanner.

To hold the articles B against the guide bar 14, other rollers 21 areprovided for engagement with the edge of the article opposite to theedge thereof which is in engagement with said guide bar.

These rollers 21 are mounted on arms 22 pivoted to the base 10 forhorizontal swinging movement to enable adjustment of the rollers 21towards and away from the bar 14 to accommodate articles B of differentwidths, the pivot -screws 23 of said arms preferably being employed -tosecure said arms and the rollers carried thereby in desired adjustedpositions.

It is extremely desirable to hold the articles 3' against any sidewisemovement, especially in the immediate vicinity of the efiective abradingportion of the belt 13. To this end a frame 24 is mounted on the bed 10for transverse adjustment, and carried by this frame is a pair ofrollers 25, 25 adapted for engagement with the outer edge of the article13, one to either side of and immediately adjacent to the point ofcontact of the belt 13 with the article. The frame is adjusted by tumingthe screw 24 in one direction or the other after first loosening thebolts 24'. The rollers 25 may be adjusted vertically by loosening theclamping screws 25.

To hold the article B against buckling or chattering in a verticaldirection immediately adjacent to the point of contact of the belt withthe article, flexible plates 26 are provided to overlie and engage withthe upper surface .of the article to either side of the point of contactof the belt 13 therewith, adjustable cam members 27 being provided tocause these plates to bear with desired pressure upon the article.Conveniently, one of these plates 26 may be constituted by an extensionof a dust-collection housing 28 disposed over a portion of one of thebelt wheels 12, this housing being adapted for connection with asuitable source of suction whereby dust formed by the machine is drawnaway substantially as fast as it is produced, the plate 26 serving toguide the dust into the housing.

Referring now to the mechanism for holding the effective abradingportion of the lower reach of the belt 13 in engagement with the articleB, and for causing this portion of the belt to assume the desiredtransverse contour of the article, it will be noted that the verticalportion 11 of the frame A hassecured thereto a U-shaped bracket theeffective abrading portion thereof. One end portion of said shaft 31 ismounted forlongitudinal sliding movement in its related bracket arm 30and the other end portion thereof is threaded and provided with nuts 32for engagement with opposite sides of the other of said bracket arms,whereby the shaft is adapted for longitudinal adjustment and to belocked in a desired adjusted position.

Splined or otherwise mounted on the shaft 31 for longitudinal,non-rotative adjustment with respect thereto is a bracket 33 carrying aset screw 34 for engagement with said shaft to lock the bracket againstmovement relative thereto. On this bracket, at each side thereof, isformed a. pair of vertically spaced ears 35, while between said earssaid bracket further is formed with a pair of laterally spaced, upwardlyextending arms 36.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3, 4, 5, '7, 8 and 9 of thedrawings, it will be noted that there is provided for cooperation withthe bracket 33, a die supporting bracket indicated generally at 3'7.This bracket includes a plate 37, which like the bracket 33, is providedat each side with a pair of vertically spaced ears 38. Connecting eachear of this plate with the related ear 35 of the bracket 33 is a link39, said links collectively constituting a double parallelogramstructure serving to hold said plate against lateral movement relativeto the bracket 33 but permitting free vertical swinging movement thereofas is manifest.

Mounted between the arms 36 of the bracket 33, on trunnions 40 carriedby said arms, is a block 41, and passing loosely through this block andconnected at one end with the plate 37, as at 42, is a rod 43, havingthreaded on its other end, for cooperation with the block 41, anadjusting nut 44 adapted to be secured against rotation by a lock-nut45. Thus, when the nut 44 is in engagement with the block 41, the rod 43constitutes a tension member limiting downward swinging movement of thebracket 3'1.

Projecting from the upper end of the plate 3'7 in a directionlongitudinally of the machine is a shaft 46 on which is mounted for.transverse swinging movement, a depending bracket arm 3'7 which istransversely slotted as at 47 to receive a tongue 48 on the lower end ofthe plate 3'7 whereby said bracket arm is held against longitudinalswinging movement relative to said plate and guided in its transverseswinging movement.

Extending from the plate 3'7 in overlying relation to opposite sides ofthe bracket arm 37*, is a pair of lugs 49, 49 in which are mountedplungers 50, 50 pressed inward by springs 51, 51 against opposite sidesof said bracket arm, whereby the latter, although capable of yieldinglaterally relative to said plate, is constantly urged by said springpressed plungers to assume a normal position between the lugs 49, 49.Under certain conditions-it may be desirable to secure the bracket arm3'7 against all movement relative to the plate 3'7 and to this end ascrew I 52 threaded into the plate 3'7 is provided for lookingengagement with the arm 37*.

The lower end of the'bracket arm 3'7 is bifurcated to provide a pair ofdepending lugs 53, 53, spaced longitudinally of the machine, and intheselugs are mounted pivot pins 54, 54, respectively, one atleast ofwhich preferably is adjustable. Pivotally mounted by means of thesepins, for rocking movement in a plane transverse with respect to themachine, is a die holder 55 in the form of any inverted U-'.

shaped block adapted tov have detachably mounted therein, by means ofset screws 58. a belt shaping die 57. To limit or entirely preventrocking movement of said die holder, set screws 58- are threaded intothe arm 37" for cooperation with the topof said holder:

The die 57has its under face shaped to the contour of the upper face ofthe article 28 and as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1- of thedrawings, said die is adapted to press downwardly against the lowerreachof the belt 13 to cause the latter to assume the contour-of theupper face of the article 3 whereby all portions thereof'are adapted tobe effectively abraded bythe belt, in which connection it will, ofcourse, be understood that a plurality 01 dies 57 having differentshaped lower faces are provided foruse in connection with articles B ofdifferent shapes.

Any suitable means may be provided for pressing the die 57downwardlyagainst the belt. this being accomplished in a simple andsatisfactory manner in the present instance by mounting suitable weights59 on the shaft 48.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6, it will be observedthat the bracket 29 carries a housing 80 in which is contained a roll ofsheet felt or similar soft and yielding material 61, afree end portionof which extends across the top of the transverse bottom portion of saidbracket to and between thelower face of the die 57 and the upper face ofthe lower reach of the belt 13.

, An adjustable cam 62 provides means whereby this sheet of materialmay. be clamped against the bracket 29 so that it-will not be pulledfrom its housing by the belt 13, and, as is apparent, the portion of.said sheet disposed directly between thedie and the belt serves not onlyto permit free sliding movement of the belt across the die,

but also to provide a yielding pad between the die and belt permittingthe latter readily to accommodate itself to irregularities and differentdegrees of hardness in different portions of the articles B. Obviously,by releasing the cam clamp 62 new portions of the sheet 61 may be fedbetween the die and the belt as often as necessary.

In view of the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operationand advantages of the present machine will be fully understood. In 're-.capitulation, however, it may be pointed out that the links 39 serve topermit vertical movements of the die 5'1, the pivotal connection of thebracket arm 37'! with the plate 3'! serves topermit lateral movements ofthe die, and the pivotal mounting of the die holder serves to permitrocking movements ofthe die, so that all. movements of the die essentialfor eihcient operation of the machine are provided for in a simple,compact mechanism. Furthermore, by reason of the adjustability of thebracket 33 along the shaft 31, rough lateral adjustments of the die mayreadily be effected, after which the desired accurate and final lateraladjustment of the die may be effected by means of the nuts 32.

I claim: 1. An abrading machine comprising a bed over which an articleto be abraded is adapted'to bemmed, abrading means above the bed forabrading contact with the upper face of the article, a

laterally Adjustable bar against which one side guide means forcooperation with the sides of article, and a pair of laterallypositioned rollers bearing againstsaid last mentioned side edgeforwardly andbackwardly of the abrading contact and adjacent thereto andmeans for adjusting said rollers laterally of the bed;

2. An abrading machine comprising a bed over which an article to beabraded is adapted to be I moved,'abrading means above the bedfor'abrading contact with the upper face of the article,

the article, and yieldablee, means for direct engagement with the top ofthe article to hold it against the bed and cam means for adjusting thepressure of said yieldable means.

3. An abrading machine comprising a bed over which an article to beabraded is adapted to be moved, abrading means above the bed forabrading contact with the upper face of the article, guide means forcooperation with a side of the, article, means inclusive of a housingfor conduc mg dust from the machine, and a plate for cooperation withthe top of the article to hold same against said bed, said plate beingconstituted by an extension of one of the walls of said housing..

4. In an abrading machine, an abrading belt, a die for cooperation withsaid belt to impart a desired transverse contour to the effective abrading portion thereof, means for supporting an article to be abraded inoperative relation to the eflective abrading portion of said belt, and asheet of soft yielding material free at one end and secured at the otherend at a point spaced from die and extending between said die'and said5. In an abrading machine, an abrading belt, a die for cooperation withsaid belt to impart a desired transverse contour to the effectiveabrading portion thereof, a fixed bracket, a shaft journaled therein forlongitudinal adjustment in a direction transverse with respect to saidbelt, a second and a holder for said die carriedby said bracket arm.

6. In 'anabrading machine, a die for imparting a desired contour tovtheeffective abrading portion of an abrading belt, a pivotally supportedparallelogram structure carrying said die for movement into and fromcooperative relation to the belt, and a longitudinally adjustabletension rod pivotally mounted at one end abovethe pivotal support ofsaid structure and connected at the other end to the movable end of saidstruc- 13o ture to thereby limit the downward movement of 1 the die.

7. In an abrading machine, an abrading belt, a die for cooperation withsaid belt to impart a desired transverse contour to the eifectiveabrading portion thereof, a supporting framework having an arm pivotallymounted at itsupper end to swing transversely of the belt and providedat its lower end with pivotal means carrying said die, and a pivotedparallelogram structure supporting said framework for movement in aplane normal to the abrading surface of the belt into and fromcooperative relationtherewith.

8. In an abrading machine as set forth in claim '7, and yieldable meansfor restraining the trans- 45 verse movement of said frame-work.

its

